THE HIGHWAY OF THE WATERS 



of hull-construction that was familiar in ancient times 

 to the northern rovers. Scandinavia itself never en- 

 tirely forgot the art, and there are boats built in Nor- 

 way to-day closely similar in all essentials to some of 

 the boats constructed by the Norsemen. 



MEDLEVAL SHIPS 



The contrast in shape and construction between the 

 trim ships of the Norsemen and the short, top-heavy 

 vessels which were the approved European type during 

 the early Middle Ages, is most striking. The Mediaeval 

 shipbuilders in striving to improve their craft, making 

 them as seaworthy and as spacious as possible, first 

 added decks, and then built towering superstructures 

 at bow and stem. The result was a vessel which would 

 have been so top-heavy that it would be likely to cap- 

 size had it not been so broad that "turning turtle" was 

 out of the question. 



It was in such ships that Columbus made his voyage 

 of discovery in 1492, although the superstructures fore 

 and aft on his boat were less exaggerated than in some 

 later vessels. Nevertheless they were veritable "tubs"; 

 and we know from the experience of the crew that 

 sailed the replica of the Santa Maria across the ocean 

 in 1893, that they were anything but comfortable craft 

 for ocean traveling. 



This replica of the Santa Maria was reproduced 

 with great fidelity by the Spanish shipbuilders, and, 

 manned by a Spanish crew, crossed the ocean on a 

 course exactly following that taken by Columbus on 



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